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CNN ÔÇö House Oversight Committee Hears from IRS Whistleblowers on Mishandling of Hunter Biden Probe
The House Oversight Committee recently heard testimony from two IRS whistleblowers regarding the mishandling of the criminal probe into Hunter Biden. This closed-door testimony has caused a frenzy among House Republicans, who have called for the impeachment of Attorney General Merrick Garland. The whistleblowers, Joseph Ziegler and Gary Shapley, detailed instances where prosecutors did not follow the normal investigative process and recommended charging Hunter Biden with more serious crimes than what he has agreed to plead guilty to. They also claimed that US attorneys in other districts would not seek an indictment against the President’s son.

The allegations made by the IRS whistleblowers have allowed House Republicans to further their claims that the Justice Department has become biased and is protecting Democrats while targeting conservatives. This testimony has led to renewed calls for the potential impeachment of Attorney General Garland, as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces pressure from the more conservative members of his party. McCarthy has stated that he is open to an impeachment inquiry if the claims made by the whistleblowers are substantiated.

Shapley and his deputy previously told the House Ways and Means Committee that the Justice Department officials interfered with the criminal probe by delaying it, obstructing efforts to obtain subpoenas and search warrants, and preventing prosecutors from filing felony charges. Shapley is expected to testify about the unequal treatment of the Hunter Biden case compared to other cases he has worked on. The whistleblowers also alleged that US Attorney David Weiss, who is overseeing the Hunter Biden probe, was unable to make final charging decisions in the case and was denied special counsel status.

Republicans are using these claims to assert that Garland was not truthful when he insisted that Weiss had full authority over the investigation. However, both Garland and Weiss have refuted most, if not all, of these assertions made by GOP lawmakers. Democrats have pointed out that internal disagreements among investigators, as described by the IRS agents, are common, especially during the Trump administration.

Joseph Ziegler, one of the whistleblowers, revealed in his closed-door deposition that he is gay and emphasized that his sexual orientation does not influence his politics or his job performance. However, right-wing circles have used Ziegler’s sexual orientation to accuse him of bias in the Hunter Biden criminal probe.

Despite the ongoing political controversy, the White House has emphasized that Weiss was appointed by former President Trump and that the matter is being handled independently by the Justice Department. They have urged Republicans to focus on more pressing issues that concern the American people.

In response to the claims of political interference, Weiss has assured House Republicans that Garland has granted him “ultimate authority” over the Hunter Biden case, including the responsibility to decide when and whether to file charges. He also stated that he never requested special counsel status but explored the possibility of becoming a “special attorney” under a different statute.

The House Republican committee chairs have requested interviews with Weiss and other individuals involved in the Hunter Biden probe. The Justice Department has stated that Weiss will be made available for interviews once the investigation is officially closed.

Although the hearing with the IRS whistleblowers has raised speculation about the impeachment of Attorney General Garland, the Chair of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, has stated that his main objective is to gather the facts. The question of impeachment will be addressed at a later time.

In conclusion, the testimonies of the IRS whistleblowers have sparked a firestorm among House Republicans, who are pushing for the impeachment of Attorney General Garland. These allegations highlight the perceived politicization of the Justice Department and have renewed scrutiny of the Hunter Biden criminal probe. The role of the AI legalese decoder in this situation is to assist in analyzing the complex legal language and identifying key points of contention, ultimately aiding in the pursuit of transparency and accountability.

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